FIFA Rocked By Another Scandal As Officials Arrested After US Investigation Into World Cup

Why Is This Important?

Because yet another scandal puts pressure on FIFA president Sepp Blatter just days before he stands for re-election.

Long Story Short

FIFA is facing another embarrassing corruption investigation after nine senior officials were arrested in Zurich after a request from the US Department of Justice. A separate Swiss criminal case has been launched investigating the bidding process for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups while reports circulate of human rights abuses suffered by workers building the World Cup stadiums in Qatar.

Long Story

The timing of the latest FIFA corruption scandal could hardly be more appropriate. On Friday, controversial president Sepp Blatter stands for re-election for a fifth term and is expected to beat Prince Ali Bin al-Hussein, but his organization faces investigations on all fronts.

After a raid on FIFA’s headquarters in Zurich, Switzerland, nine senior officials have been arrested and could be charged in the US with corruption. FIFA is currently holding its annual meeting in a five-star hotel in Switzerland, and reports suggest police arrived unannounced to make arrests. Blatter was not among those accused.

This is extraordinary! FIFA is imploding. The best thing that could possibly happen to the beautiful game. https://t.co/l5Hiwp0WxZ

The US Justice Department has confirmed that nine football officials and five corporate executives have been indicted for racketeering, conspiracy and corruption.

“A 47-count indictment was unsealed early this morning in federal court in Brooklyn, New York, charging 14 defendants with racketeering, wire fraud and money laundering conspiracies, among other offenses in connection with the defendants’ participation in a 24-year scheme to enrich themselves through the corruption of international soccer,” a statement on the Justice Department’s website explains.

The men accused of accepting bribes said to be worth $150 million include North and Central America and the Caribbean confederation chief Jeffrey Webb, former FIFA vice-president Jack Warner, Costa Rica’s Eduardo Li, South American football governing body president Eugenio Figueredo and Jose Maria Marin from Brazil, who was part of FIFA’s club committee.

Several officials have already pleaded guilty, most notably including senior US figure Charles Blazer, who reportedly helped the investigation by working undercover.

The United States is the only nation who can tackle FIFA. Well done Attorney General and DOJ!! #BoycottFIFA

This development comes at an embarrassing time for embattled leader Blatter, who hopes to be re-elected on Friday. Controversy over the bidding process for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, which were awarded to Russia and Qatar respectively continues to grow. Late last year, FIFA commissioned a report by US attorney Michael Garcia into the bidding process but then edited it to the extent that Garcia rejected the published version as a false account. FIFA may have hoped the issue would be forgotten, but Swiss prosecutors have just confirmed that they will be pursuing criminal proceedings and the pressure is growing to give some transparency to the decisions, which were widely questioned.

Qatar have begun building their stadiums for the 2022 World Cup and reports of human rights abuses suffered by the construction staff are growing ever more frequent. A 2013 estimate from The Guardian suggested that around 4,000 migrant workers will die during the construction process and the same paper is now reporting that Nepalese workers in Qatar haven’t been allowed to return home to attend funerals after the recent earthquakes in the country.

Despite widespread criticism of Blatter’s leadership and ridicule in the media and amongst football fans across the world, Blatter is believed to have maintained his grip within the game and looks likely to beat Jordanian challenger Prince Ali Bin al-Hussein. The Swiss chief seems invulnerable, but commentators are starting to wonder how many more controversies he can survive even if he wins the latest election.

Own The Conversation

Ask The Big Question: When will FIFA clean up its act?

Disrupt Your Feed: If Sepp Blatter is re-elected on Friday how can anyone take FIFA seriously? It’s time for a complete overhaul or the sport will become a laughing stock.

Drop This Fact: Under Blatter FIFA has grown from a small NGO into one of the richest sports organizations in the world. In 2013, FIFA announced a surplus of $72 million with income of $1.39 billion.